TerraMaster F4-424 Max: 30-second evaluation
Specs
CPU: Intel Core i5-1235U
Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
RAM: 8 GB DDR5 non-ECC SODIMM (64 GB DDR5 non-ECC SODIMM)
Storage: 88 TB (22 TB x4) (Capability could differ by RAID sorts), 2 (PCIe 4.0 x4）
Rear Ports: Sort A *2 (10 Gbps); Sort C *1 (10 Gbps), （HDMI 2.0), 2 x 10GbE Ethernet ports
Connectivity: 2 x 10GbE Ethernet ports
Dimension: 223 x 180 x 147mm
OS put in: TOS 6
Equipment: Community cable, AC energy wire
The TerraMaster F4-424 Max is a network-attached storage unit designed for each the house workplace and small companies. Out of the field, it presents a particularly highly effective and versatile NAS choice in a really simple-to-use and easy format that is extremely configurable to your wants.
Taking the unit out of the field, the dimensions and weight imply it may be simply positioned on a desktop and does not should be hidden away in a community cabinet. The configuration can also be extraordinarily straightforward to work out, with 4 principal drive bays on the entrance with quick-release lever entry that allows you to mount your number of drives with varied capacities and speeds. Then, eradicating the aspect panel, secured with two screws, two ultra-fast NVMe M.2 SSD slots are revealed, in addition to the upgradable twin channel RAM.
While the field, at practically $900 (£900), is dear, contemplating what the barebones unit really presents, it is a fully scalable answer. In case you are working at dwelling, you will discover this NAS system is straightforward to arrange and ultimate for storing your entire dwelling paperwork and work, utilising a secure RAID system that is accessible by way of the native space community. Likewise, in a small enterprise with a number of customers, the system will be expanded to deal with the extra storage and processing wants.
What the TerraMaster F4-424 manages to do is recover from the largest stumbling block that I’ve discovered with even among the best NAS devices, and that is ease of use. Most small companies haven’t got 24-hour IT help or the technical know-how to arrange and administer an honest NAS system correctly. Nevertheless, right here, TerraMaster presents this from the outset, with on-line help and guides that make it straightforward for anybody with no prior expertise to get began. All the things from putting in the drives and working the preliminary setup utilizing the browser-based TOS 6 OS actually is not troublesome.
Basically, by way of the setup as soon as the 4 drives are put in and two NVMe drives, you possibly can then join, with community cables, the system to your community by way of your community hub. Sort within the NAS IP into the browser, and the TOS 6 OS will seem, strolling you step-by-step by way of the preliminary setup course of. As soon as that is finished, you possibly can click on on Storage and arrange your storage volumes. After that, click on on the File Supervisor, and you’ll add public folders and entry rights to these folders. Because the TOS OS is extensively used, there’s loads of info on the market for those who do get caught, however actually, it is vitally easy to make use of, and there is all the time official on-line help for those who want it. What this basically means is that for those who’ve received no prior expertise, this F4-424 Max field must be an awesome place to start out.
In case you’re trying to make use of the F4-424 Max in a enterprise location, you can rapidly entry the drive content material, together with different staff, to obtain recordsdata and entry a quick central information storage useful resource. By this take a look at, I really discovered that the switch speeds had been vital sufficient to rapidly again up an 8K video to the interior storage. With these two quick NVMe drives, I had entry to sooner community storage than I used to, which enabled some community video enhancing, which was spectacular.
General, I used to be impressed with the pace of setup and use. The F4-424 Max was extremely straightforward to entry from the community and a number of machines on the similar time, and the precise switch pace to entry the interior storage was extraordinarily fast utilizing the default configuration. What I actually like about this NAS answer is that it is fully scalable. While it is on the higher finish of the worth bracket for a barebones system, it provides much more flexibility and functionality than the cheaper options on the market, making it ultimate for those who deal with bigger quantities of information or have a enterprise that’s increasing at pace.
TerraMaster F4-424 Max: Value & availability
The TerraMaster F4-424 Max is extensively accessible and will be bought instantly by way of the TerraMaster web site at $899 / £819 by clicking here.
It is also accessible by way of on-line retailers, together with Amazon.
TerraMaster F4-424 Max: Design & construct
Historically, NAS containers have had an industrial appear and feel to them. For good motive—they’ve often been designed for use by IT specialists who know precisely what they’re doing, the way to set them up, and the way to grant entry to customers who must entry community storage. Nevertheless, with extra of us working from dwelling, the usefulness of a network-attached drive is ever-increasing for a number of causes.
Firstly, it provides you a solution to retailer all of your workplace and work recordsdata in a single place that is accessible from any desktop, cell gadget, or pill inside your private home or small workplace. In case you arrange the permissions accurately, you can too entry the drive remotely. This implies if you must go into the workplace or entry recordsdata whereas away, that is completely doable. This field has been designed to supply all that flexibility in an easy-to-use answer, sometimes anticipated solely from a lot higher-end NAS items.
The design resembles a large-scale desktop onerous drive, with glossy, barely rounded edges, an all-black steel and plastic development, and a matte black end. It seems trendy, so in order for you it displayed in your desktop, it will not look misplaced—far faraway from the commercial NAS containers of some years in the past.
Not solely that, however the precise setup of the unit is extraordinarily straightforward. You might have the choice to fit in as much as 4 conventional onerous drives of as much as 22TB every into the 4 lever-lock caddies on the entrance of the unit. Basically, you push the lever in and pull the caddy out, then bolt every HDD in place, slot it again in, and repeat till all 4 slots are crammed. That is often the place most smaller NAS programs finish, however right here TerraMaster has included an additional choice. As soon as two screws are faraway from the again, the aspect of the unit will be pushed ahead, revealing two NVMe M.2 SSD slots together with dual-channel RAM slots.
The RAM slots can help as much as 64GB, utilizing two 32GB sticks. Because it comes, the unit consists of 8GB, which for most individuals can be greater than sufficient for basic workplace admin, storage, and use. Nevertheless, for those who’re fascinated by utilizing this as a media server, importing and downloading bigger recordsdata, or working purposes instantly from the field, you may need to think about upgrading. An extra 16GB to 32GB ought to suffice, or 64GB in case your finances permits and also you’re contemplating community video enhancing.
On the subject of NVMe M.2 storage, this may be upgraded to 4TB utilizing 2TB sticks in every slot. What this permits, mixed with the twin 10GbE Ethernet ports, is extremely quick switch speeds.
As soon as you have slotted within the HDDs (which will be both 3.5-inch SATA, 2.5-inch SATA with a caddy, bought individually, or 2.5-inch SATA SSDs) alongside the NVMe drives (for those who select to put in them), you possibly can boot up the system and proceed with the setup course of.
TerraMaster F4-424 Max: Options
Contemplating the dimensions of the F4-424 Max, this four-bay hybrid NAS has loads of energy on provide, which is straight away obvious as quickly as you begin to look by way of the specs. To start with, there’s the Intel Core i5 processor with 10 cores and 12 threads. What’s extra, it additionally consists of Intel Iris Xe built-in graphics, which signifies that if you must entry the bottom code of the NAS for extra superior options, you possibly can join it on to a monitor by way of the HDMI 2.0 port. There are additionally two USB Sort-A ports on the again, which can be utilized to connect a keyboard and mouse for direct enter. Nevertheless, these ports can be used to attach exterior storage if you wish to increase the system’s capability additional.
On the subject of the 4 bays, you have got customary 3.5-inch HDD slots, and with a caddy, you can too add 2.5-inch HDDs or SSDs. What’s extra, alongside these 4 customary bays, there are two NVMe M.2 slots for sooner storage. What’s attention-grabbing right here is that whereas there’s loads of storage capability, TerraMaster has ensured there’s adequate airflow by way of the system. Even throughout high-capacity transfers, the noise generated by the interior cooling stays comparatively low, with a quoted 21 dB of noise.
For community connectivity, it is a wired-only system with two 10GbE LAN ports on the again, permitting you to hook up with your native space community simply. In case you are utilizing a easy dwelling wi-fi hub, you may must buy a further community LAN hub for extra port choices. Nevertheless, many wi-fi routers have already got a number of LAN ports you possibly can plug instantly into. These LAN ports use the SMB multichannel know-how, so for those who use each with suitable gear, you possibly can obtain speeds of as much as 20GbE.
The working system that powers this NAS depends on the newest TOS 6 OS, which has a confirmed monitor report and has been utilized in a lot of TerraMaster’s different network-attached storage options. On the floor, it is comparatively easy, and for those who’re an entire novice to community storage drives, it will not take too lengthy to determine. TerraMaster additionally gives loads of on-line help movies and documentation to information you thru the setup course of.
One of many principal makes use of for NAS programs throughout the dwelling and small workplace is as a media hub. With the Intel Core i5 processor, you have got 4K video decoding built-in, supporting Plex, Emby, and Jellyfin. This makes it completely doable to make use of as a house media server. Once more, a slight increase in RAM is likely to be a worthwhile funding for those who do intend to make use of it on this approach.
Moreover, it is absolutely suitable with the Btrfs file system, so if you wish to use it as a fully-fledged server, you possibly can. Once more, including extra RAM will make a distinction to the efficiency.
For RAID choices (basically how the interior onerous drives are configured for storage), the F4-424 helps each RAID 5 and TRAID. This offers you flexibility over the way you configure the drives and allocate house. As customary TerraMaster has additionally integrated just a few extra software program extras, together with Terra Images, which presents clever picture administration, permitting you to tag and organise your photos simply. This makes the NAS an awesome answer for lovers {and professional} photographers who’re searching for an easy-to-use media server to organise their photos.
As with every storage gadget used for enterprise, you will need to guarantee the whole lot is secure and safe. One of many advantages of a NAS system is that the RAID configuration ensures your information is unfold throughout a number of drives. If one drive fails, the information can nonetheless be recovered from the remaining drives after inserting a brand new one. Alongside customary RAID configurations, you even have a number of different safety safety measures, all accessible by way of the TOS 6 OS interface.
For instance of those extra security measures, there are the enterprise backup options, comparable to full backups to a different TerraMaster NAS gadget regionally or the flexibility to switch the recordsdata to a different NAS positioned elsewhere. You can even utilise Home windows SMB backup programs and different cloud restoration choices, all enabling loads of flexibility to fit your wants.
Whereas most customers will utilise the TOS 6 OS and App for traditional NAS storage, with the processor and energy, you can too utilise the F4-424 as a Home windows server, bodily server, file server, or digital machine; this flexibility actually does differentiate it from many different out-of-the-box options.
On the subject of connection speeds, the 2 10GbE copper Ethernet ports help as much as 20Gbps in bandwidth for information transmission. As beforehand coated, this makes use of SMB multichannel know-how to utilise each ports, and when finished, the F4-424 Max can ship linear write speeds of as much as 2090MB/s and 4K random learn/write speeds of as much as 400MB/s. This makes it appropriate for picture and video enhancing—one thing few different programs of this dimension or value can provide.
As talked about earlier, the built-in video decoding makes it an awesome choice for anybody searching for a multimedia server to run Plex or related apps. Past multimedia, the TOS 6 OS options an apps part the place you possibly can obtain and set up quite a lot of different Apps onto the system, so for those who want a music server, dwelling safety or webserver, it is all doable. There’s additionally the TerraSync software program, which lets you synchronise your computer systems with the NAS as a full backup system.
Backup is among the main options right here for safety and allows you to get well information. In case you lose or harm your laptop computer or different gadgets; your information is safely backed up. Moreover, there’s CloudSync, which streamlines workflows with direct connections to Google Drive, OneDrive, Amazon S3, Dropbox, Baidu, and Alibaba Cloud.
Although it seems easy on the surface, the F4-424 Max presents an enormous quantity of options contemplating the worth. The wonderful thing about this NAS answer is that you could fully tailor it with the storage and purposes you must swimsuit your online business or dwelling workplace wants.
TerraMaster F4-424 Max: Efficiency
Beginning with the F4-424 Max and lifting it from the field, it is immediately obvious that TerraMaster has targeted on ease of use with this NAS system. A lot of the complexity of older NAS containers is gone. From the outset, putting in the 4 Lexar 2.5-inch SSDs into 3.5-inch caddies (purchased individually) after which putting in these into the NAS was extraordinarily straightforward. The method for the 4 bays is so simple as it will get, with a fast entry lever permitting the caddy to be pulled straight out of the entrance of the machine and reinstalled rapidly as wanted. Which means upgrading storage or changing a drive will be finished inside a few minutes, slightly than having to undo a load of bolts to entry the drives.
Whereas this function is not unusual in skilled NAS programs, till lately, it wasn’t so frequent with small and residential workplace options, though it is changing into extra frequent.
Whereas the primary 4 bays on the entrance are simply accessible, there’s additionally the choice so as to add two NVMe drives on the aspect of the machine. To entry these slots, you must take away two screws behind the machine, then push the aspect of the case to take away it to disclose. These slots are basically the identical as you’d discover in most PCs, permitting you to rapidly set up two NVMe sticks (as much as 2TB every) and bolt them again in. Between these two slots are the dual-channel RAM slots. If you wish to improve the RAM on the similar time, you possibly can. The unit comes with 8GB as customary, which was greater than sufficient for many duties throughout testing. Nevertheless, if you wish to obtain sooner switch speeds or carry out video enhancing, upgrading to not less than 16GB is worth it, and 64GB is completely ultimate.
As soon as the 4 drives are put in within the entrance and the 2 NVMe drives are put in on the aspect, the whole lot will be reassembled, plugged in, and switched on. As we have seen with different TerraMaster drives, the preliminary setup course of utilizing the TOS 6 OS is quick and easy. TerraMaster gives clear, step-by-step guides to the setup course of, permitting you to configure the drives into volumes in whichever approach fits your wants.
For this take a look at, I opted for mass storage (Lexar NS100 SSDs) on the 4 principal drives and quick entry storage on the 2 NVMe (Lexar NM610 NVMe) drives. By the OS, I used to be in a position to rapidly arrange two volumes: the primary combining the storage of the 4 principal drives into one quantity, and the second utilizing the NVMe drives. I then allotted folders to the primary quantity, creating folders for video, paperwork, and different media. I additionally arrange a PLEX account and put in apps for media playback.
On the NVMe fast-access drives, I created a brand new quantity. Whereas the NVMe drives I used had been comparatively small, they had been adequate for fast HD and 4K video enhancing. Though my community setup did not enable me to entry the quickest switch charges this field is able to, it offered a strong take a look at of its capabilities.
The remainder of the F4-424 setup, together with app installations and its use by way of the browser interface, was quick and simple. When you’ve got a Plex account, then you possibly can log in and entry it from any web-enabled gadget within the workplace or dwelling. What’s nice about Plex is that you could save all of your films to inside storage, eliminating reliance on streaming providers and offering a solution to hold your video library organised. Equally, you possibly can add your music and pictures by way of the Terra Images app, which incorporates instruments that can assist you keep organised. Whereas these Apps are designed for dwelling use, they’re additionally a good way to maintain your media property organised and accessible.
To be used in a house workplace or small workplace, the F4-424 Max is a superb answer. One of many assessments I carried out was to see how the NAS field would carry out with a number of connections. I linked two PCs and two Macs, all accessing content material from the NAS field concurrently. There have been only a few, if any, points. One of many machines was accessing content material through a wi-fi connection, whereas the others had been linked by way of a wired community.
For these on a wi-fi connection, the common switch fee was round 100–150MB/s. With a number of connections, this dropped to round 80–100MB/s, which was nonetheless spectacular. Likewise, resulting from Community limitations, the wired connection topped out at round 150MB/s.
General, from the preliminary setup by way of to using the TOS 6 OS and its purposes, the TerraMaster F4-424 Max is an exceptionally well-thought-out NAS system that’s excellent for any small or dwelling workplace. Its scalability and suppleness make it an excellent choice for those who’re searching for a safe and dependable storage answer that’s network-accessible from any location.
Must you purchase the TerraMaster F4-424 Max?
NAS programs like this may be tough, particularly for these with out a lot IT expertise. Nevertheless, with the F4-424, TerraMaster has aimed to make what is basically a posh gadget so simple as doable. The preliminary setup is comparatively simple, and there should not be something right here that causes points. In the course of the evaluation, it took me roughly 5 to 10 minutes to put in the drives, plug the whole lot in, and energy it up.
One of many main concerns for anybody a NAS drive as a substitute of an ordinary desktop drive is knowing {that a} NAS drive should be accessed through a community. There isn’t any direct connection choice—you possibly can’t simply plug it instantly into your machine and anticipate to entry these recordsdata.
The F4-424 simplifies this idea with its TOS 6 browser-based software. This software program means that you can arrange volumes rapidly and simply, particularly with the included guides. As soon as that is finished, you possibly can assign a sequence of folders and get these mapped for entry, and it even guides you on how to make sure these drives mount mechanically each time you turn in your machine.
These drives will then seem as community drives, much like what you may already be conversant in in an ordinary working surroundings. The convenience of setup and upkeep makes this a unbelievable choice, particularly for customers with little to no IT expertise.
There are numerous standout options of this NAS system, however for me—and anybody working a small enterprise—the reassurance that your information is secure, safe, and unfold throughout a number of drives is important. The RAID configuration ensures that if one drive fails, it may be changed with none lack of information. Moreover, the sync choices allow your laptops and desktop machines to be backed as much as the NAS drive. In flip, the NAS itself will be backed as much as one other drive or a web-based backup answer. Your entire course of can all be properly built-in with using Apps, and TerraMaster gives guides to stroll you thru every step.
As an entire answer, the TerraMaster F4-424 is among the finest choices I’ve seen. What actually provides it an edge are the 2 NVMe M.2 drives that slot into the aspect. Whereas 4TB may seem to be a big quantity of storage, video manufacturing can rapidly eat that quantity. Nevertheless, you probably have a quick community and utilise the SMB protocol and dual-channel LAN ports, you should utilize this as a network-attached enhancing storage answer. For any small manufacturing firm that may’t fairly afford to step as much as pro-level community video choices, this NAS presents a wonderful place to begin—one thing few different drives at this value level can match.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | Row 0 – Cell 1 | Row 0 – Cell 2 |
| Worth | Whereas it might appear costly, the flexibleness and most storage capability make it wonderful worth. | 5 |
| Design | Drives are straightforward to put in, and with the 2 extra NVMe drives, it turns into a particularly versatile and well-designed choice. | 4.5 |
| Options | On the base degree, there’s sufficient to get small enterprise house owners began, with enlargement choices making certain your funding lasts for years. | 5 |
| Efficiency | The bottom-level efficiency will swimsuit most enterprise house owners, and extra RAM or storage can simply be added if wanted. | 5 |
| Whole | Probably the greatest options I’ve reviewed at this value—ultimate for content material creators and small companies alike. | 5 |
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